New Boat, Sailing South ?

[Stanly]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and need some advice. I've been sailing on and off for about 10 years and last year I purchased a 42' Frans Maas and have the dream of sailing it south from Southern California to the Sea of Cortez and beyond. I just returned from working in Alaska saving money to do repairs on the sailboat and having enough to survive and have fun until I leave for Alaska again in March.

I haven't had a lot of time on this sailboat getting to know it and though I want to go south this winter for a couple of months, do you think that it's a good idea or that i'm rushing it? Would you personally wait till next season, taking the time to get to know the boat and have a fun time sailing locally?

Thanks for your help and advice!

Stanly

[Sailmonkey]

I bought a boat new to me in Tampa. I was toying with the idea of sailing it to houston, reason won out, and I trucked the boat. In hindsight I am extremly glad I didn't sail it as I found several hundred little projects that would have made the trip miserable.

[Cheechako]

You defintiely should know your boat well before going. ( I assume you navigate well, reef well etc) Every boat has it's little idiosyncrasies. The best test for you is to get out and stay on the anchor for 1-2 weeks a couple of times. You will then know the "Must Have" list for repairs or added things.! Going south to the Sea for couple of months is not ideal either.... the bash back will probably take you 3 weeks unless you are the type to just go continuously in any weather....

[Stanly]

Thanks for both of your replies. Though the idea of setting sail and heading south is very appealing, I do have those thoughts of all of the "what ifs". I'd hate to have to figure things out when i'm out at sea.

[gvolos]

Stanley. Can you please write your impression of the boat as I am interested in buying one?
Thank you

[Loco Gato]

I would say it depends on where you are in So. Cal. But in any case, load up a bunch of goodies,ie. food,drink,supplies and good friend, and head out to the islands for a week or so. Especially the outter islands like Santa Barbara, San Nicolas and San Clemente. Then hit the backside of Catalina and home. That will be a good shakedown and anchoring experience and give you a chance to learn about the boat and yourself. As this is hurricane season in Mexico and insurance is an issue, by the time October comes around, you should be set and ready to go! As to bashing uphill, screw that! After leaving Cabo, tack offshore, stay outside of Cedros and avoid the coastal "bashing". You would have already enjoyed Baja on the way down so why beat yourself to death on the way up? Tacking offshore takes maybe 2 to 3 tacks, depending on weather, to get to San Diego.
Enjoy your new boat!

[svcambria]

Another consideration is what you want to do next year. If you want to be in Mexico, why bash back? There are plenty of places to leave a boat in the Sea. Also, if you leave your boat in southern California over New Years, it will get on the personal property rolls of the county it is in - you will owe that tax for next year and probably never get off their rolls even if you leave the US and never come back.
There is also the possibility of leaving your boat in Ensenada - Cruiseport or Baja Naval, even the Coral. If you plan to leave your boat while gone in a slip in San Diego or LA, Ensenada would be cheaper.

Michael

[TaoJones]

The original post that started this thread was put up last October 28th. Whatever Stanly decided to do, he had done it by March (four moths ago) because that was when he intended to return to Alaska. If he did that, he will probably not be returning to Southern California until this fall. If he decided to wait to cruise Baja until this year, he'll probably head that way late October, 2010.

Since he never posted beyond those two posts last year, we may never know what he finally decided to do.

TaoJones

[svcambria]

The original post that started this thread was put up last October 28th. Whatever Stanly decided to do...

Since he never posted beyond those two posts last year, we may never know what he finally decided to do.

Ah so, gotta remember to check those original posting dates.
Stanly "is the man who never returned; he may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston, his fate is still unlearned..."

Michael

[Vasco]

Ah, the old MTA. I think he was Charlie, not our Stan.

[speciald@ocens.]

We bought a new boat (for us) 7 years back and spent the Summer refitting. We had the boat out of the slip 3 times that Summer for fuel, to have a MaxProp installed, and to calibrate the new instruments. Our next time out of the slip took us to Tortola in the Caribbean 1500 where we beat the next boat in by 24hrs corrected time. So it can be done.